Ireland's new DNA database will go live today.

It will run out of the Forensic Science Ireland base in the Phoenix Park and will help Gardaí to close the net on serial offenders.

Criminals who receive a sentence of 5 years or more will have a genetic sample kept on file.

Its follows the recent publication of legislation to tackle repeat home burglars - Garda figures show a small group of criminals are responsible for three quarters of burglaries around the country